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Topic: Super easy focaccia using ciabatta (Read 7161 times)

I've been looking for the simplest way to make delicious bread for sandwiches....and I think this may be it, as it is not only delicious, but so simple a child could do it. This focaccia is based on a recipe by Ciril Hitz, and I adjusted the procedure to make it as easy as i could. The recipe will fill a 13 X 10 inch sheet pan perfectly.

I mix my poolish in the kitchen aid mixing bowl and let sit at room temperature for 12 to 16 hours. After the poolish has ripened, add the remaining ingredients and mix for 6 minutes on lowest speed. Then up the speed a notch and mix an additional 2 minutes.

The hydration level is very high, so the dough is pourable. I pour the dough into a large oiled stainless steel bowl and cover with plastic. Every 30 minutes, wet your hands, and do a stretch and fold, in the bowl and then recover with plastic. After 4 stretch and folds, pour your dough onto a well oiled (olive oil is delicious for this) sheet pan, and let set for a 30 minutes. Every ten or so minutes I use an Italian herb infused olive oil mixture and push the dough out to the corners. After the 30 minutes are up, place in a 450 degree oven and bake.....should take 25 to 35 minutes. The focaccia rises high enough to split for sandwiches, and has a nice crispy top and bottom...and best of all, clean up is a snap!!DEElishJohn

He has a couple of books I've borrowed from the library, one on breads and the other is on pastries. Both come with a DVD to show some of his shaping techniques. The DVD's are worth the price of the books all by themselves. They are not big books but very informative.

I have his Baking Artisan Pastries & Breads - mostly pastry - the bread in the book is brioche based and quick breads. I took a class in Oct at King Arthur Flour that he taught featuring pastries & breads from the book -fast paced 8 hour class, it was awesome.

I'm going to try this recipe for foccacia. It looks great.

dmcavanaugh - I don't know how close you are to KA but his class was great if you ever get a chance to take one when he is teaching there.

I made this recipe with a slightly different twist, I did a two day cold ferment (timing issues) but it came out great. I topped mine with garlic, basil, oregano and some pretzel salt. I submitted a picture for SLICE'S My Pie Monday, you will probably see it there this coming Monday, if not, then A week from Monday. BTW, it was delicious, kinda tastes like a garlic pretzel!

I've been making this style of focaccia for awhile. I don't mix the dough outside of the bowl though. What I have been doing is picking up the doughball and allowing gravity to stretch it down. I imagine this straightens out the gluten strands a bit.